There is just something about a fireplace that makes people feel welcome. When you walk in the room out of a snowy Colorado night, if there’s a snapping, crackling fire burning in the fireplace, you’ll get warmed up in no time. A fire brings a cozy ambiance to any room. When you build a fire, it’s easy to just think about laying the wood, lighting some kindling, and enjoying the warmth. But there’s a lot more to the process if you want to continue to enjoy this feeling night after night. You need to make sure that your fireplace system has been cleaned and inspected on a regular basis and that all the parts are working properly so that you can relax by your fireplace with confidence.
Chimney Caps
If you take a look at your chimney from the outside, you’ll see that on top there is a concrete piece built right on top of the chimney. This is the chimney crown, and it serves the purpose of directing rain water away from the sides of the chimney and the juncture where the chimney meets the roof. This area is covered by the flashing, but a chimney crown is added protection against leaks occurring. But that still leaves the opening on your chimney unprotected. If you’re worried about precipitation sneaking into your house down the top of your chimney, then what you need to be considering is installing a chimney crown. A chimney cap sits on top of the chimney crown, and is uniquely designed with grated sides which allow the smoke to escape while keeping animals, birds, and other debris out of your chimney. The top of it is designed to have solid, sloping sides that direct precipitation onto the crown and onto the roof, where it will glide down to the rain gutters instead of running down your chimney. If your chimney cap needs repair work, give Chimney Doctors of Colorado a call. If you don’t have a chimney cap and you’re looking to purchase one, give us a call as well. We offer a wide range of chimney caps to match your size and style of chimney.
Top Sealing Dampers
Another route to go if you’re looking to keep the precipitation out of your chimney is to add a top-sealing damper. With regular dampers, which are located further down the chimney, you open or close them in order to allow smoke out while you’re using your fireplace or to keep the warmth of your furnace air in your home. A top sealing damper sits directly on top of the chimney crown, and it has cables attached to it so you can open or close it depending on whether your fireplace is in use or not. This allows you to keep precipitation from falling into your chimney, and allows for a better seal than regular dampers. Working together with a screened cap, you’ll have all the protection you need! Call Chimney Doctors of Colorado and we’ll get you set up in no time!